Cocoon
by hoyteca
Summary: Krystal finds a way to keep Fox from leaving her.
1. bonding

"You wanted to see me?"

Krystal sat down next to Fox, who was clearly troubled by something.

"Do you know why we're here?"

Krystal thought about it. Why did he ask her to accompany him to Sauria's Cape Claw? Is this a date? Was there something special here that he wanted her to know about?

"Not exactly." Krystal finally admitted after a few awkward seconds, "I mean, I have my theories."

"I originally planned on taking our relationship to the next level. I wanted to be more than just friends. I thought there was a chance this could work and that the relationship wasn't doomed to failure."

Krystal did not like where this was going. Fox continued.

"But I realized it wouldn't work. There's too much uncertainty in our line of work. I thought about taking the easy way and leaving you a note or telling you over the phone. But that wouldn't be right. That would send all the wrong messages."

"What was he trying to tell me?" Krystal thought. Fox continued.

"I think you should leave the team."

Krystal was devastated. Star Fox was the only family she had left. Fox continued.

"Like I said, there's too much uncertainty. It's not healthy for a relationship and is certainly not healthy for kids, if we ever went that far. The healthiest thing you can do for yourself is to leave."

Krystal hadn't noticed that Fox had gotten up until he was already standing in the water. Krystal felt she had no other alternative. Standing up, she pulled out her staff and snuck up on Fox. Before he could notice her, Krystal slammed her staff into Fox's head as hard as she could. While he was still dazed, Krystal tackled Fox and held his head underwater. After a few minutes of struggling, Fox passed out. Krystal dragged him back onto the beach.

Unsheathing a knife she had under her shirt, Krystal cut deeply into Fox's arms and legs. Taking her staff, Krystal removed the crystal and placed it on his chest. Grabbing the knife again, Krystal cut into her left index finger and let the blood drip onto the crystal. Grabbing the crystal again, she cut a line from his chest to a few inches below his bellybutton. Placing the crystal back on his chest, it was now just a matter of time before he woke up.

Krystal waited. For what felt like a week, she waited. Finally, Fox woke up.

"What happened?"

"Nothing much."

Fox was confused. He woke up on a beach, his arms, legs, and chest hurt, and he couldn't get up no matter how hard he tried.

"Do you remember what you told me before you passed out?"

Fox thought for a moment before he answered her question.

"I told you that our relationship couldn't work and that you should leave the team."

"That's right."

Fox's eyes went big as Krystal inched closer to him with a knife in her hand.

"You don't really have to leave." Fox pleaded when he saw the blood dripping from the blade, "No. I just realized that we could take our relationship to the next level after all. We could date and even get married if you want. Please, just put that knife away."

"You'll just leave me." Krystal told him as a smile formed on her face, "I can read your mind, remember? You plan on destroying m ship before taking off in your own, stranding me here. But you're not going to do that. I'm not going to let you."

The knife moved closer to Fox's belly. He knew what she was going to do.

"Please don't." Fox begged, "I was just kidding about you leaving. You don't have to leave. Please don't stab me."

"You're cute when you're desperate." Krystal told Fox seductively as she held the knife above Fox's stomach, "We're going to be together forever. Your soul just needs a little loosening from your body."

Fox screamed in pain as the knife plunged into his stomach. Krystal continued.

"The body has three 'centers'. The brain is the governing center. It governs the entire body. The heart is the spiritual center. It pumps energy throughout the entire body. The belly is the health center. The body's not healthy unless the belly is healthy. Now, I had to cut into the belly. To loosen the soul, I needed to attack one of your three centers. Attacking the others would let your body die too quickly for this to work."

Krystal crawled on top of Fox, making sure her chest was directly over the crystal. Krystal continued.

"The crystal on your chest will direct your consciousness, your soul, into me. Your body will die, but you will be trapped inside me. I will be your cocoon. Even after I eventually die, we'll still be permanently bonded. Also, you remember that 'fan girl' you slept with?"

Fox did not like where this was going. Krystal continued.

"That was me. It's amazing what a little fur dye can do. I'm glad you thought I was on the pill. Otherwise, you would have used protection and wouldn't soon be a father. That's right. Since you're going to be inside me, it's only right that I inform you that I'm pregnant. It's nice that you're going to be sharing the joys of parenthood with me. So many men abandon their mates after the first missed period."

It felt like hours before Fox lost too much blood and "died". Just like Krystal had planned, Fox was freed from his body only to be trapped inside hers. Krystal grabbed the crystal and forced it back into her staff before cleaning and placing the knife back in its sheath. She then picked up Fox's body and carried it back to her ship. It was only right that his body be buried close to his parents', not left rotting on a beach.


	2. confrontation

"Where am I?"

Fox couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. The last thing he remembered was Krystal lying on top of him after she had stabbed him in the stomach. Judging from how fast he had passed out, she must have struck a major artery. But that would mean…

No. It wasn't possible. He couldn't be dead. Krystal may have been upset, but she wasn't a murderer.

Was she? Fox had to admit he didn't know her all that well. She might have murdered him. Was this what death was like?

Heartbeats.

Fox could hear heartbeats. They were soothing, almost hypnotic.

Warmth.

Fox was quickly overcome with soothing warmth. It almost made him sleepy.

There was still darkness. For several minutes, all he could see was darkness. It was so peaceful and soothing. He had no worries. He had never felt so safe. He could also feel love. It was so innocent and pure. If he was dead, then this must be heaven.

Light soon flooded his eyes. According to his eyes, he was walking to Krystal's ship, which she had landed earlier on Cape Claw. In "his" arms was a dead adult fox. The poor thing's belly appeared to have been torn open with something thin and sharp. Its eyes and mouth were frozen with pain. For some reason, he was cradling it in his blue arms.

Wait. Why were his arms blue? Before he had passed out, his arms were still a reddish-orange. In fact, his stomach had been ripped open, just like the fox in his arms. He shouldn't be alive.

"What's the matter? Don't you remember?"

That voice. Fox recognized it as Krystal's. Fox heard it not as a sound from a nearby source, but as a thought deep inside his head.

"You don't remember, do you?"

Remember what? He had told Krystal to leave the team. After that, she attacked him and held his head underwater. After he regained consciousness, she plunged her knife into his belly and then crawled on top of him as he lay dying on the beach. What else was there to remember?

"Don't you remember what I told you while you bled?"

Fox didn't remember.

"I told you that your consciousness, your soul, would be transferred into my body."

What?

"You're in my body now, Fox. You're seeing what I'm seeing and hearing what I'm thinking. We're bonded now. We will remain together, even after death. Now just relax. You'll never be in control of this body, so don't waste your time worrying."

Fox did as he was told and relaxed. He knew she was right. They would remain together and there was nothing he could do about it.

"That's right, relax. I hope I make a nice enough cocoon for you."

-Outside World-

After loading the body, Krystal flew her ship back to the Greatfox. She knew they wouldn't understand. The team could never understand. They'd probably call the authorities on her or kill her on the spot. She didn't care. They had to know. They had to know that their leader was in her body.

It didn't take long for her ship to reach the Greatfox. After she landed inside the Greatfox's main hangar, she carried Fox's body to the lobby. She knew the others were there. She could feel them.

"What the hell happened?"

Falco was shocked when she brought Fox's body into the lobby. No, shocked wasn't the right word. He was angry. They all were.

"What the hell did you do?" he demanded. He never liked her. None of them did. The only one who liked her was Fox. They probably pressured him to fire her.

"Fox doesn't like being pressured to do his job." She accused Falco, "You wanted Fox to fire me. You demanded he fire me. All of you did. Each and every one of you told him you would quit if he didn't fire me, if he didn't abandon me like shit-smeared garbage."

"Shut up! You know that's not true. For a psychic bitch, you sure are ignorant. How dare you accuse any of us of that."

Falco was mad, but Krystal was madder. They never made her feel welcome.

"It is true." Krystal spat back, "Fox loved me and I loved him. None of you could stand that. I wasn't rich or famous enough. To you, I was just some blue freak from a faraway land..."

"Even if that were true, it still wouldn't have excused what you did." Interrupted Peppy, "I used to respect you. When you first came here, you were scared. You didn't have a home or a family. We went out of our way to make you feel welcome. We gave you a home. We supported you, even if you proved to be useless. You had not the pure skill of Fox or Falco, the experience that I have, nor the mechanical expertise of Slippy. You had nothing, but we still put a roof over your head and food in your belly. And how do you repay us? By murdering our leader. And it wasn't a quick death. No. Judging by the wound and the expression frozen on his face, the death was slow and painful. Judging by the blood in your suit, it appears that you enjoyed his agony. You couldn't control yourself, so you crawled onto the dying animal, you sick traitorous bitch."

"That's not true!" Krystal yelled, "I'm not a murderer, I'm not a traitor, and you never made me feel welcome.

First, you know nothing about me, my people, or our ways. I stabbed him, yes, but not to kill him. I just needed to loosen his soul a little. I transferred his soul into my body because you couldn't stand to see us together. You wanted us separated. I'm now his cocoon. You'll never tear us apart.

Secondly, you never made me feel welcome. You mocked my religion. You looked me in the eye and told me it was bullshit. You called my traditional clothes slutty. You told me that only whores dressed that way. You told me that blue was an ugly fur color. You told me to leave."

"We're not going to call the authorities." Falco told her, "And we're not going to kill you or abandon you somewhere. Now that you've murdered Fox, I'm team leader. I want you to really think about what you've done. I want the guilt to really sink in. I don't want my tax money giving you free room and board and I don't want you to be left alone too long. You're obviously very confused and very dangerous.

We're going to be handing you over to Star Wolf in exchange for their future cooperation. It looks like you're going to be sleeping in Panther's bed tonight."

"I don't care what you do." Krystal told him, "The further I get away from you, the better. You're just mad because you won't be able to take Fox away from me."

"You murdered him." Peppy told her, "You're nothing more than a cold-hearted killer. You'll fit right in with Star Wolf."

"I'm not his killer. I'm his cocoon."

"You're his murderer."

"I'm his cocoon."

"You're not his cocoon!" Falco shouted, "You're a confused bitch from some weird planet that believes in magic and fairy tales. You think that everyone's out to get you. You killed Fox because you believed we were trying to ruin your life.

Guess what? Fox wasn't leaving you because we're plotting against you. He was leaving you because he realized what a wackjob you are. He was better off letting you fall to your death on Sauria. At least then he could sell your staff for a few credits."

"How dare you!" She screamed, "I am his cocoon! Just because you weren't there and you didn't see it doesn't mean it's bullshit! What about air? You can't see air. But you can feel it! According to your ignorant logic, air isn't real! If you feel it, you must be feeling something that isn't there!

Just give me a few seconds. I'll gladly take my own life if it means never having to worry about hearing any of your grating voices again!"

Falco quickly tackled Krystal when she began reaching for her knife. After a brief struggle, Peppy and Slippy helped Falco subdue Krystal.

"What the hell is your problem?" Falco demanded, "Did you really believe that we had forgotten about your knife or that we would let you kill yourself? You're going to be Panther's plaything. Slippy, take all of Krystal's shit out of her room and bring it here. Peppy, remove her knife."

Slippy and Peppy quickly followed their orders. Within minutes, all of Krystal's possessions were dumped onto the ground.

"What do we have here?" Falco asked as he reached into the pile, "Why, it appears to be a wedding dress. Is this why you stabbed him? If you couldn't have him, nobody would?"

"Shut up!" Krystal shouted.

Grabbing a roll of tape from a nearby drawer, Falco taped Krystal's muzzle shut.

"Fox may have wanted you out of his life." Falco taunted her, "But I know someone who will treasure you for the rest of your life. I'll be sure to come to your wedding, Mrs. Caruso."

Krystal glared at Falco. In response, Falco tackled her.

"You're going to be a beautiful bride." Falco told her as Peppy and Slippy helped him remove her clothes. Before long, she was completely nude. Grabbing the roll of tape, Falco quickly taped her legs together. Grabbing the dress, they quickly forced it on her.

Krystal glared at them. She had bought the dress in the hopes of one day marrying Fox. Now it was being used to make her more presentable to someone she despised.

"Keep her here." Falco ordered, "I'm going to contact Star Wolf. I'm sure Panther's going to be thrilled."

Krystal watched as Falco left the room. She hated the bird. She hated all of them. She wanted to kill them all, but couldn't. It would hurt Fox too much. Krystal decided to sit and wait.

-Fox-

Fox was upset. He had seen and heard everything.

"Fox?"

Krystal's voice provided some much needed relief.

"I saw and heard everything." He told her, "I can't believe it. First, they automatically accuse you of murder as soon as you walk in. Then, they give you to Star Wolf as a result. Was I really that expendable? Was my life worth that little? They didn't even yell at you all that much."

"It's okay Fox. No matter what, we'll always be together. It doesn't matter what they do. I'll never regret my decision."

"I know."

"Just relax. You had a long day."

Once again, Fox was surrounded by darkness. The only thing breaking the silence was Krystal's steady heartbeat. In an instant, all of Fox's worries once again disappeared.

"Sleep tight, Fox."


	3. new life

-Bridge-

"He obviously suffered."

"So, do we have a deal?"

Wolf sighed. Fox was one of the few people he respected. Fox was his rival, his opposite. While he took any job he could get, Fox only worked to help Corneria, never to hurt it. Fox was his opposite, his one and only rival. He was more than that to Wolf; he was a target to surpass.

Wolf's thoughts turned towards the teams, who were waiting in the lobby. Who was staying? He didn't want to work with Krystal. She would remind him of what he had lost forever.

"What about the vixen?"

"I was hoping you would know what to do with her. Calling the authorities would be a waste of my tax money. Abandoning her somewhere would give her too much time to plot against us. Killing her would be too merciful. She has to let the situation sink in. She has to suffer internally."

Wolf smiled. Panther. That feline loved that vixen and if he left; he would gladly take her with him. With the merger of Star Fox and Star Wolf, he didn't need Panther anymore.

"We'll give her to Panther. With the money he's saved up, plus a decent inheritance, he'll have no reason to stick around. We give the vixen to him and they retire somewhere nice, somewhere we won't see them again."

"That'll work. So, do we have a deal?"

"We have a deal."

Wolf and Falco shook hands, finalizing the merger. While Wolf was the leader of the new team, Falco would lead Peppy, Slippy, and Leon in battle. Wolf would take care of all the paperwork and would be in charge of accepting and planning missions.

-Lobby-

Waiting. For several hours, Krystal waited. She sat in Fox's favorite chair, guarded by Slippy and Peppy. It felt like an eternity. Not too long afterwards, Panther and Leon walked into the lobby.

"Guess who has a new girlfriend?" Panther proudly announced.

Krystal wasn't surprised. As Panther cut the tape binding her legs, Krystal accepted her fate. As long as she had Fox inside her, she didn't care what happened. They could marry her to that cat for all she cared.

Marriage. Ever since the first Sauria mission, she dreamed of marrying Fox. She wanted to be his wife and to give birth to his children. Fortunately, the latter would soon be coming true. She knew Panther was going to be her husband now, not Fox. Again, she didn't care. She had Fox inside of her. She could always feel him and could talk to him anytime she wanted. They were now one being. Neither pain nor death could separate them. She didn't care what Panther did.

Maybe she did. Maybe she still had feelings for him. He could be quite charming when he wasn't soaked in cologne and actually bothered to use first-person pronouns. She almost made the mistake of leaving Fox for him.

Everything was different now. Fox would always be there, in her heart, her body, and her dreams. She could go with Panther now and not feel guilty. Plus, it would keep the others away from her.

With the last bit of tape removed from her legs, Krystal stood up and let Panther remove the tape around her muzzle. After the tape was removed from her muzzle, she let Panther grab her hand and lead her to his Wolfen. To her surprise, it was fairly massive compared to the one he used to fly. It was at least four times as big and had a door on the side.

Once inside, Krystal looked around. There was a small kitchen and a couch facing a fairly large television. There was a door that no doubt led to the bathroom. Krystal looked in a nearby drawer and found all her stuff. She didn't own very many things.

"How do you like it, my love?" Panther asked her as he closed the thick door.

"It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be." Krystal admitted as she closed the drawer.

"I had it built not too long ago." He told her as he led her to the cockpit, "It cost a pretty penny. The whole thing was designed from scratch and has enough supplies to last us at least a month. After I put it in auto-pilot, I can give you a little tour."

Krystal nodded as she sat down next to Panther and buckled herself in. As the engines started, her thoughts turned to Fox. While Panther was busy checking all the systems, Krystal decided to talk to Fox.

-Fox-

"How are you enjoying your blue, furry cocoon?" Krystal asked him, waking him from his slumber.

"It's nice." Fox admitted, "I've noticed you've been saying cocoon a lot."

"I know." Krystal told him, "It's my new favorite word. Anyway, I'm on Panther's new ship. It's a lot bigger than his old one. It's like a very tiny apartment."

"Do you like him?" Fox asked nervously.

"Yes." Krystal admitted, "Not as much as you, but I like him. I'm thinking of marrying him. I've already got the dress. I once wanted to marry you, but I discovered a better alternative. Now, I don't have to worry about you divorcing me or getting kidnapped."

"Yeah, I guess this might be better. I didn't like the stabbing part, though."

"I gotta go." Krystal told him, "Try to get some more rest. Cocoons are for sleeping in."

Fox didn't really understand how he could sleep without his body. Before he could think about it, sleep overtook him.

-Panther's Wolfen-

After putting his ship on autopilot, he unbuckled himself before helping Krystal unbuckle. As she stood up, Panther stepped back to fully enjoy the sight. Standing in front of him was the vixen of his dreams wearing the most beautiful wedding dress he had ever seen. The best part was he knew she was going to marry him. Maybe not today or even this month, but soon.

He wanted to spoil her. He wanted to take her to Corneria. He wanted to buy her a new dress and take her to the finest restaurant. He would treat her like royalty. Was she royalty? She was never clear on that. Panther was pretty sure she was a princess. Even if she wasn't a real princess, she was his princess and that was enough for him.

"This is the main living area." Panther told her, "The TV has every channel imaginable. There's also a movie player and a fairly large collection of movies spanning every conceivable genre and sub-genre. There's a small kitchen in the corner. You can help yourself at any time. The bathroom is behind that door in the back. This ship has a fairly large water tank and recycles every drop. The couch folds out, making a comfortable bed. It's not as big as most pullouts, but you don't have to worry about metal bars ruining your sleep. Speaking of which, you've had a long day, from what I've heard."

"I'm not tired yet." Krystal told him as she grabbed the zipper on the back of her dress, "Though I did have a pretty long day. I've gotten a lot closer to Fox. Don't worry. It's a Cerinian thing. I'm still technically single and you don't have to worry about Fox kicking your ass again."

"I don't understand. You're closer to Fox, but you're still single? I thought you two were engaged."

"We were." Krystal explained as she unzipped her dress, "It's a Cerinian thing. Basically, I loosened his soul a little. His soul is now literally inside of me. He sees what I want him to see and hears what I want him to hear. He can even feel what I want him to feel. I'm basically his cocoon now."

"I think I get it." Panther told her, "I was wondering why he wasn't yelling at me or hitting me or even breathing."

"You never were the quickest or the brightest. Not as slow as Slippy, but still pretty slow. But you're sweet. Do you have any pajamas I can borrow? I don't think you'd want me to sleep naked here."

"Oh, sure. They're in the middle drawer on the left side."

After taking off her dress, Krystal placed it on the floor beside the TV and opened the drawer. Finding something pink, she pulled it out and looked at it.

"I never expected someone like you would wear something like this." She explained as she looked at it. It was pink bunny pajamas, complete with feet and ears attached to the hood.

"I don't, really." He explained as he sat down on the couch, "I bought it for you. When I learned Fox wasn't in charge anymore and Falco wanted our teams to merge, I wanted to buy you something quickly. That was the only thing in your size that wasn't too revealing. I prefer some things to be left to the imagination. Plus, if you rejected me, I would have something physical to remind me of you."

Krystal quickly put on the pajamas before joining Panther on the couch. To her surprise, it fit her like a glove. The whole thing felt soft and warm. Her ears fit perfectly inside special pockets inside the bunny ears, allowing her to hear slightly better.

"How is it?" Panther asked as he grabbed the remote and turned on the television.

"It fits so perfectly." Krystal answered, wrapping her arms around him, "It's so soft and warm. It's neither too big nor too small. It's like a pink, fuzzy cocoon."

"Glad you like it." He told her, "What would you like to watch? An action show? A romantic movie? I even have a few games and books if you don't feel like watching anything."

"How about a game?" she asked, "I'll watch you play for a bit. I might join you if it's multiplayer."

"Do you have any preferences?"

"A fighting game, if you have one. If not, then something old and classic. Too many of the newer games focus too much on their mediocre stories and long, drawn out cut scenes."

"Alright, then."

As Panther got up and started hooking up a gaming console, Krystal began thinking of how similar Panther was to Fox. They were both mercenaries. She loved them and they loved her. They would do just about anything for her. Fox took her on dates and saved her life many times while Panther was retiring just to be with her. It was a difficult choice, but she made it. Panther would be her soul mate while Fox was literally a part of her. She and Fox were now one being, one very complete being. Speaking of which.

-Fox-

Fox had just woken up from another slumber and was bored out of his mind. There was no stimulation. He saw, heard, and felt nothing. All he could do now was simply exist.

"Hello, Foxy."

Fox never felt so excited over a simple greeting. To him, it wasn't just a simple greeting. It was stimulation. It was something to break the dreaded monotony that plagued him since the bonding.

"Hi Krystal."

"How are you?"

"Bored out of my mind. All I can do now is sleep, exist, and talk to you, mostly the first two."

"I see. Well, I guess I can let you access my memories. You won't be able to screw anything up, so I don't have to worry."

"Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome. I wouldn't be a very nice cocoon if you were bored out of your mind."

"So, how are things with Panther?"

"Steady. Despite his reputation, sex is far from the only thing on his mind. I secretly checked his memories, so I know what I'm talking about when I say those rumors are false. So far, I'm the only non-relative woman he's ever been close to. I'm thinking about asking him to marry me, before your children are born. I checked. They're twins, a boy and girl."

"So, you love him?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. I may be his girlfriend, but I'm also your cocoon. We'll always be together, even after death."

"Great. Just great. So, I'm stuck here?"

"Yes. You're stuck inside of me until I die. Then we depart from this world, your soul cocooned in mine just like how it's cocooned inside my body."

Fox sighed. He had definitely not signed up for an eternity of this. He knew he deserved this, after he tried to dump her on Sauria. He shouldn't have turned his back. He should have been watching her, making sure she didn't do anything desperate. But live and learn.

Krystal turned her attention to Panther, once again plunging Fox in silence.

-Panther-

Krystal opened her eyes and found Panther sitting next to her. To her surprise, he was wearing blue fox pajamas. It was almost disturbing how much it looked like her. It even had a few fake scars that matched the ones she got during a recent mission that went sour fast. Picking up the controller, Krystal decided not to ask about his pajamas.

"You looked surprised when you opened your eyes." He told her, "If you're wondering about my pajamas, I liked having reminders of you. They kept me hopeful, even when you were dating him. What were you thinking about? You looked deep in thought."

"Nothing." She told him, "Just talking to Fox. He's not used to being inside of me, to being cocooned. I was telling him I'd be his cocoon forever. I also told him how much I love you and how I hope to marry you soon, hopefully before the baby is born. Panther. I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? How? Are you sure?"

"Yes." She confirmed, "Fox and I mated a few weeks ago. He didn't know it was me, though. He was always too afraid to mate with me. As for how I know, I missed my period. It was due a few weeks ago."

"I see."

Panther didn't really understand her reasoning, though he had a good excuse. Sargasso was one big sausage-fest. There hasn't been a woman onboard since Wolf's last girlfriend two years ago.

After a few hours, Panther put down his controller.

"I don't know about you," he explained as he stood up and stretched, "but I'm beat. How about we relax for a bit before we sleep? It's not always wise to sleep immediately after such stimulation."

Krystal nodded as she turned off the console and TV. She then proceeded to put the console away while Panther pulled out the couch. The backrest fell down and locked into place, forming one flat, soft surface. He then grabbed a few pillows and some sheets from a drawer underneath the "bed" and made the bed.

"I never thought I could feel so complete." Krystal said as they sat down on the 'bed', "I always thought life was all about sacrifice and compromise. To gain something, you had to lose something else. I was wrong.

I have Fox inside of me and you beside me. My life has always been chaotic. Cerinia was one big war after another. The wars grew bigger and bigger until the whole planet was one big wasteland. I spent years wandering through space, driven mad by the solitude and claustrophobia. With Star Fox, the months seemed to alternate between fear and boredom. Plus, Fox was my only ally. I was surrounded by my enemies all the time.

But now, I can relax. My future had never been so certain, so stable. Thank you for accepting me when most people despised me. Thank you for giving me a roof over my head when all I have to offer is my undying love and loyalty."

"You don't have to thank me." Panther told her as he wrapped his arm around her, "Your undying love is all I ever wanted. We should get some sleep. We'll be close to Corneria when you wake up and I want to spoil you. I'm going to take you to the finest shops, to a movie of your choosing, and to the finest restaurant for a nice dinner. I have a pretty big fortune and I don't want one credit to go to waste. Good night, Krystal."

"Night."

As they slipped under the covers, Panther turned off the light. He wrapped his arms around her body, burying his face in the back of her hood. Everything was so perfect.

Krystal decided to contact Fox one last time before she slept.

-Fox-

"Hello. Foxy."

"Hi, Krystal. Why didn't you tell me you wanted to settle down? I would have gladly quit the team and started a normal life with you."

"The others wouldn't have liked it." Krystal explained, "It's not always wise to make enemies to anyone who can destroy your life in so many different ways, each one easier to pull off and much more devastating than the last. It's all fun and games until they bomb our house while you're at work. It's getting late. Sleep tight, Foxy."


	4. punishment and reward

-Falco-

Falco watched as the space pirate ship shake violently before falling out of orbit. It wasn't long before it crashed into the barren, unpopulated planet and exploded. It was his first mission as team leader and it ended in success. Falco led the team back to the Great Fox and awaited payment.

-Krystal's dream-

Krystal stood on the beach watching her future children build a sandcastle. It was still morning in the dream, so the sun wasn't yet scorching. She swore she could smell the salty air. She liked this dream. It didn't torment her with her past or foretell an unpleasant future. It was, by far, the best dream she ever had. She knew it was a dream and she knew it foretold her future.

-Krystal-

Krystal was gently woken up by the smell of pancakes. Opening her eyes, she found herself looking at a tray that had been set up beside the bed.

"Hope I didn't wake you." Panther told her as he placed a plate of pancakes on the tray, "You can go back to sleep if you want. We won't be landing on Corneria for quite some time."

"I don't mind waking up." She reassured him as she cut a piece off with her fork, "It was a nice dream, though. I was on a beach with my future kits. It was so nice. I can't wait for the twins to be born. Ever since I was young, I've dreamed of starting a wonderful family. Looks like that dream is going to come true."

Panther nodded as he sat down on the floor and ate his pancakes. As he chewed his first bite, he looked up at Krystal. It was the "morning" of the second "day" and he still couldn't believe that she was living with him. He admired how she could be so fierce in battle, yet so gentle the rest of the time, even if she stabbed Fox in the stomach. She was also so cute, especially when dressed up in her pink bunny pajamas. He had to spoil her. It was the least he could do for her after she made his life so complete.

"I never knew my life could ever feel this complete." He admitted as he carried the plate to the sink, "Before you came along, I felt so cold and alone. But now, I have a face to wake up to every morning. I have a reason to live, other than survival instinct. You're also going to make me a father, even if the kits aren't my own."

"You're sweet." Krystal told him, "The best part is that I didn't have to make any decisions that I might have ended up regretting for the rest of my life. I'm happy, you're happy, and Fox is as happy as he's probably ever going to get. Maybe later I can give you something you're never going to forget."

"What do you have in mind?" Panther asked, curious.

"I want it to be a surprise." Krystal told him.

-Fox-

"Please… I need out." Fox pleaded as his mind began to slip, "Please let me go."

"What's the matter, Foxy?" Krystal asked, "Why aren't you relaxing? That's what you do inside blue, furry cocoons."

"I need out." Fox begged, "I'll do anything you want. I mean anything."

"How would you like to f-ck Panther for my amusement?" Krystal asked.

"I'll do it in any way you want." Fox told her, "Pick a hole and it will be f-cked. Just please free me from this prison."

"No can do." Krystal told him, "Our bond is the most permanent bond there is. Even after my death, I will still be your blue, furry cocoon."

"There has to be something you can do." Fox begged.

"Sorry. You and I are one now. Look at the bright side. You'll live a long life inside the vixen you loved for so many years. You'll never have to work. You'll never have to wait in lines or deal with bullshit bureaucracy. Just enjoy yourself."

"How?" Fox demanded, "In case you haven't noticed, there's nothing here. It's just me and these fleshy walls."

"I'll let you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell everything I do when he and I finally do it." Krystal offered.

"Do what?" Fox asked.

"Do everything to him that I wanted to do to you for so many years." Krystal explained, "We'll start with minor things until I give birth. After a resting period, you'll learn just how much I have always loved you."

"Now I can't get the image of his naked body out of my head!"

"You don't even have a head anymore." Krystal gently countered, "He's sweet, like you are. Who knows? You might like the experience enough to ask me to do it again."

"Do… what again?" Fox asked, "Please don't say sex. I would rather you kiss Sli… Well, not Slippy. Definitely not Slippy. I'd rather you f-ck Panther in the most disgusting way possible, which is just about any way, than ever touch Slippy."

"I was thinking oral." Krystal told Fox.

"Please don't." Fox begged.

"It's already decided." Krystal told him, "For forcing me to 'bond' with you, this is your fate."

"What do you mean 'forcing'?" Fox demanded, "All I did was try to fire you."

"That forced me to 'bond' out of desperation. As punishment, you're going to be forced to not only see it in action, you're going to taste it."

-Krystal-

"Is something wrong?" Panther asked.

"Fox was just freaking out a bit." Krystal explained, "He's still upset because he doesn't have a body anymore and is stuck in a blue, furry cocoon that's feeling a little naughty."

"Naughty how?" Panther asked.

"I'm thinking about putting my mouth to better use." Krystal explained, "I wouldn't need to get undressed. Sometimes it's nice to have a warm, snuggly hood. How long will it be exactly before we reach Corneria?"

"About seven hours." Panther told her, "Obviously, we have quite a bit of free time before I have to pilot the ship again. What do you want to do in the meantime?"

"We can snuggle if you want." Krystal suggested, "Or I can do what I was hinting at. I would have put it off until later, but Fox craves stimulation."

"What were you hinting at?" Panther asked, "I have a few ideas of what it could be."

"Oral." Krystal told him.

"When do you want to do it?" Panther asked, "It wouldn't be the same if you weren't in the mood too."

"I can do it now if you want." Krystal told him.

"If it's what you want, I'll be more than happy to do it." Panther told her.

"I'll be honest with you. It was one of my favorite things to do to Fox. It always gave me pleasure, even without all those extra nerve endings that a certain other part has."

Panther started to undo his pants while Krystal waited in anticipation.

-Fox-

Fox could only watch in horror as Krystal's mouth approached Panther's cock.

"Please, don't." Fox begged.

"For that outburst, I'm going to have to punish you extra hard." Krystal told him, "Take your punishment like a man or I'm going to have to get creative."

Fox could feel the limb fill his mouth.

"I'll be good." Fox pleaded, "Please, just stop this."

"But I like it." Krystal told him, "I like it almost as much as I like messing with you. Plus, it makes him happy. I need someone a little more… physical… in my life. You're nice and all, which is why I bothered with the process of gutting you and trapping your soul inside me. I just need someone I can physically touch and the only alternative would have been Slippy."

"I guess this is the lesser of two evils then." Fox said as he felt Krystal's mouth get to work, "Everything's the lesser of two evils compared to… that."

"Love it." She commanded, "This is the first time we can enjoy ourselves without the stupid team or the stupid missions getting in the way."

"Oh shit. He's about to… to…"

"You should have ignored the team's 'concerns' and did this to me." Krystal told him, "There's so much we could have done, should have done… would have done. I had so many gags, 'toys', and hoods. We could have taken our love to new, exciting levels."

"Why does it have to be so warm and salty?" Fox asked.

"It's no saltier than yours." Krystal pointed out, "And you can expect a lot more of this. I'm going to eventually use everything in my 'arsenal' and you're going to feel every glorious second. I'm even going to buy more. There's this one that really caught my eye."

"Please don't." Fox pleaded. Krystal continued.

"It'll fit right in with the bunny pajamas he got me. It's a pink bunny mouth… mask thing. It has a built-in cockgag, wraps around the muzzle, and attaches to the hood to help it blend in better with my pajamas. A small tube runs through the gag so that I can breathe through my mouth. I'm going to ask him to buy it for me. You'll get to feel me reward him."

"Why?" Fox asked.

"Because it pleases me and to punish you." She answered, "You shouldn't have tried to leave me."

"I'm sorry. Please, just stop all this."

"Don't worry. You'll learn to love it."

Krystal licked the mess on her lips and swallowed. If Fox wanted stimulation, he was going to get it.


End file.
